Original Correspondence.

of greater value—thorough efficiency in the working of- the lodges . Yours fraternally , E . GOTTHEIL .

HIRAM ABIF . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , —I have perused with much interest a letter in your paper from the pen of S . G . F ., on the subject of Royal Arch Masonry ; and most heartily do I concur in the principle contended for by your

correspondent—that there should be uniformity and agreement with regard to our ritual , founded as this is on Biblical History . I have always felt that the more closely we adhere to the simple and beautiful statements recorded in the sacred volume , the less difficulty we shall find in preserving the ancient

landmarks . With regard to the objection sometimes made to our employing the name " Hiram Abif , " because the name " does not occur in the Bible , " I may state that , having been long in the habit of reading the Bible in German and in Swedish , on account of the great vigour which these

translations possess ( especially the former ) as compared with our English version , I have observed that some Hebrew names , which our translators have endeavoured to render into equivalent English terms , are in the German and Swedish versions adopted in many instances as proper names , and

represented as such without even an alteration of spelling . Of these diversities of translation , not the least remarkable and interesting is that presented in the case of the name in question ; our version rendering it in one place " Huram his

father , " and in others Huram my father , " while the German version , which was the work of a great man and a profound scholar , namely Martin Luther , reads Huram Abif ; the same reading is also found in the Swedish version .

H . M . FESTIVAL OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , It was my good fortune to be present at the Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent

Institution , a report of which was given in your last week ' s issue , and I cannot help writing you , to let the fraternity who were not there to participate in the pleasures of the evening know through youi widely circulated and valuable paper—which en passant I may mention I look for every week , and peruse

with great delight—that I think it was the best conducted , and most orderly one in my humble opinion that has taken place for some time , and that both the Stewards and the Manager of the Tavern may be congratulated on their successful labours . The only thing that would

have improved the enjoyment of the evening , would have been the exclusion of some of the foreign music , and the substitution of good old English ballads instead , as all Englishmen have not the taste for songs they do not understand , however exquisite the melody may be , that they have for

those that touch the heart , as well as delight lhe ear . I could not help noting the difference produced on the audience , by " Tom Howling , " and by " Largo al factotum . " Hoping vou will insert these few remarks , I am , AX ENGLISHMAN .

MARK MASONRY . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , —Every constitutional Mason will thank you for the admirable tone and temper of your article on the conduct of the R . A . Chapter of Scotland towards the Mark Grand Lodge . I trust that

before long true Masonic feeling may be established between the Mark Masons of England and Scotland . The G . M . ' s request that the R . A . Chapter will appoint some eminent brother to confer with them and arrange differences , does not look as if the Mark Grand Lodge would place any hindrances in the way .

There arc one or two points in connection with the Mark Grand Lodge which are well worth our consideration . It is assumed as "anomalous , ' that the Mark Degree should be under a jurisdiction of their own . Hut surely the " nonios " has been already laid down in the case of lhe R . A ., which

though only half a degree , being one degree together with the Master ' s , yet has its own jurisdiction . It is assumed that the Mark ought to come between the second and third degrees . There is no proof whatever that it e er had anything to do with the second degree It is certain that the inventors of the third degree were of the Mark , but from its

being left out of the scheme in 1717 , as well as in 1813 , there is every reason to believe that it was always a degree perse , and I suspect both distinctly operative and of very considerable antiquity . I believe it myself to have been the link between "Craft" Masonry and the higher degrees , in the AntientOrderofYork . and that in it were learnt those

Original Correspondence.

peculiar modes , by which the initiated might communicate with one another , unknown to the rest of the world . In the present state of Craft Masonry , when many of the old landmarks have been removed or obscured , I cannot but think it a gain that by our distinct organization we arc able to maintain some of them ; notably , a frequent change

111 our Grand Mastership . Every one ( except perhaps the Scotch R . A ., ) knows that according to the old landmarks , and the example set in 1717 , it was perfectly competent for the English Mark Masons in 1856 , to form themselves into a Grand Lodge 01 union of Mark Masters . How a Royal Arch ; Chapter , dating from 1818 , can claim jurisdiction ovei

the Mark Degree , which by their own admission was worked in " operative lodges from time immemorial , " it is difficult to understand . Certain I am , however , that the representatives of this very old degree in England will never allow themselves to be over-ridden by so modern a body as the Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland . Yours fraternally , AN OLD MARK .

WAS HENRY PRICE EVER APPOINTED PROV . G . M . OF AMERICA ? . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —About a month ago , Dr . Winslow Lewis , a most esteemed and respected citizen of Boston , and P . G . M . of Massachusetts , placed in my possession a number

of old Masonic documents which he recently purchased from a Mason ' s widow . Some of those documents were shown to me by the late owner about twenty years ago , this I distinctly remember , but at that time I merely looked upon them as curiosities and paid no further attention to it . On examining those old papers , among other matter , I found several

letters of correspondence between Henry Price and two Grand Secretaries of England , which I shall give in chronological order . First , London , Nov . 29 th 176 S , signed Tho . French , G . S . Next , Boston . June 3 rd 1769 , reply to the above of Nov . 29 th . Next , London , Sept . 6 th 1769 , acknowledging the receipt of June 3 rd , signed fas . Heseltine , G . S .,

with reply to Heseltine from Price , dated January , 29 th 1770 . There arc also letters from Heseltine , February 15 th 1770 , and a memorandum reply , dated Boston , May 16 th , 1770 . These letters at once reveal the cause why Henry Price ' s name appears for the

first time as " G . M . of America" in the "Masonic Almanac" of 1770 , which you ma } ' remember was a puzzle to the Right Worshipful Bro . Hervey , G . S . of England , to C . W . Moore , of Boston , and in fact to all of us , when 1 paid a ^ visit to your office last spring .

The discovery of these papers made me naturally feel anxious to get at the beginning . The letter from French of Nov . 29 th , refers to a letter from Price of January 27 th , the question then was , where could that letter be found ? 1 was also desirous of ascertaining as to the handwriting of the memorandum copies , and other papers in the collection . So

I called on Bro . Gardner , our G . M ., showed him some ' of the documents , and obtained permission to examine the original record of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Massachusetts . I say " original , " because I had hitherto seen only a transcript copy . The old book was not kepi in the Masonic Temple , but at an officer ' s house , it was therefore specially sent for ,

for my examination . For a full account of the result of my investigation , I must refer you to Bro . Brennan ' s American Freemason of some future date , at present it will suffice to state , that 1 found in the record the sought-for letter , and here is a copy thereof : — " Boston , New England , Jan . 27 th , 176 S .

" Kt . Worshipful brothers , —I had the honor to be appointed Provincial Grand Master of New England , by the Kt . Honourable and Worshipful Lord Anthony Brown , Viscount Muntacuto , in lhe year 1733 , and in lhe year ' 735 ' ' commission lo me was extended over all North America by the Kt . Honourable and Kl . Worshipful John Lindsay , Karl of Crauford , then Grand Master of Masons ,

but upon inijuiry , I find that said deputation never registered , though 1 myself paid three guineas therefor lo Thomas liaison , Es ([ ., then Deputy Grand Master , who with lhe Grand Wardens then in being , signed my said deputation . This deputation was the first that the Grand Lodge ever issued lo any pari of America , [ G . M . Norfolk granted a I'rovincialshipto Daniel Cox , for New Jersey ,

America , in 1730 01- 1731 , ' Anderson ' s Cons . 173 S , ] and stands so on all lhe lodges on lhe Continent , Other deputations have since been issued in different provinces , but I hey cannot , according lo rule , take rank of mine . So would submit it to your wisdom and justice , whether said deputations should not be registered in their proper place , without any further consideration therefor , and the Grand Lodge here have rani ; according to dale , as il has ( by

virtue of said deputation ) been the foundation of Masonry in America , and I lhe founder . "Wherefore Kl . Worshipful Brethren , 1 beg that my cni | tiiry may be made into the premises , and that things may be set right , is the earnest rcijiiesl of your much honoured and affectionate brother , and very humble servant , HI ; NI ; Y PIUCI :. " P . S . - -Kt . Worshipful , I herewith send you an attested

Original Correspondence.

copy of my said deputation as registered in Grand Lodge book of this place , under the hand of our Grand Secretary , whose signature you may depend upon as genuine . H . P . " In reply to the above , Bro . French said : — " I know not how your name should have been omitted

in the list of Provincials , but Bro . Robert Tomlinson , . Esq ., is the first appearing in our books for any part of America , during the Grand Mastership of the Earl of Loudon , in 1736 . These mistakes might have been long since rectified , if you had kept up according to your charter a regular annual correspondence with the Grand

Lodge . However , as it appears by the loose papers in my possession , that you had resigned in favour of John Rowc , .. his Grace ( Duke of Beaufort ) , desires you will forward a letter to me , relating to this point per first opportunity , that the Provincialship may be properly settled . "

With the above letter came a deputation for John Rowe , which began thus : — " Know ye , that we of the great trust and confidence reposed in our Right Worshipful and well beloved Bro . Henry Price , Esq ., of North America , constituted Provincial Grand Master for North America' by Viscount Montague ,

Grand Master , April 13 th , 1733 . " It is evident that the authorities in England did not then care to scrutinise Henry Price's pretensions ; they took his word , and the attested copy of his deputation from the Massachusetts record for granted , subject to further explanation . Price in

his reply , however , did not pretend that he hadever written a single line to an officer of the G . L . of England , but merely promised to be in England in the fall of the year , when he would explain " face to face , " & o , and the same promise he repeated in his reply to Heseltine ; Jan . 29 th , 1770 . Price did

not go to England , the war of independence brokeout , and the above correspondence was no doubt the last that the Provincial G . L . ever had with the parent G . L . Price , however , did not thereafter visit England , and the promised explanation " face to face " was never given . The war of independence put a stop to the

Provincial G . L . ; it ceased to meet from 1774 until 1791 , when it assumed the title of "the G . L . of the Holy St . John , " and by that title it called itself from Nov . 15 th , 1791 , until 5 th of March following , when it merged into another Provincial G . L . of Scotch origin under its present title . Price , however , gained

his point , by humouring the Duke of Beaufort with flattering approvals of a darling scheme of the said Duke ( to get the Order chartered by Parliament . ) Price was acknowledged by the Duke in the deputation of Rowc , Price was also put into the " Freemasons' Almanac" in 1770 as G . M . of America , and

so the almanac continued year after year to inform its patrons until 1804 , when his name disappears . The discovery of the above-named documents , together with the examination of the Massachusetts records aroused my suspicion that Henry Price was a pretender , that he never received a commission

cither from Lord Montague , Montacute , or the Earl of Crauford . I should not perhaps have felt disposed to rake up old impositions , if the character of an active and highly popular D . G . M . of England had not been impugned at a time , probably when all parties concerned who might have disproved Henry

Price ' s pretentions were dead . John Lindsay , Earl of Crauford died , 1 believe in 1749 , Viscount Montague in 1767 , and the D . G . M . and Wardens who arc alleged to have signed Price ' s commission must also have departed in 1768 , for otherwise inquiries would have been made of them concerning Price ' s

claims . Then , and not till then , Price for the first time discovers the omission of his name as Past Prov . G . M . in the English Register , and for the first time addresses a letter to the English authorities , informing them of appointments which naturally surprised them .

We must bear in mind that in both Anderson ' s and Entick's editions of the Constitution published respectively in 1738 and 1736 , mention is made of Tomlinson's appointment in 1756 , but nothing is said about Henry Price ; but that is not all , for I actually learn from one of my old documents , that

Price had written a letter "to flic lid ' . Bro . hntick , minister al Stepney ' ' in 1 754 . ( two years before the publication of Entick ' s Constitution ) , and sent him three guineas to pay for a commission for Jeremy Gridlcy , begging Entick at the same time " to forward the affair , " or in other words to get Gridley ' s

appointment for Prov . G . M . confirmed , and that Captain John Phillips had brought back a receipt for the three guineas but not a line from Entick , therefore Price in 1755 , begs some one in London to look after the three guineas , and " to forward the affair . " Now in the first place , can it be possible

that neither Anderson ' s nor Entick s Constitution had reached Boston until 17 68 , when we know that both Tomlinson , and his successor Oxnard , had visited England during their respective Grand Masterships , and that in 1749 a D . G . M . of

Massachusetts had also paid a visit lo England ? And secondly , what necessity was there for Henry Price in 1754-5 to go a roundabout way , "healing the bush , " applying to this and that man " to forward the affair , " and u-hv did he not send three guineas